Originally Posted by
A320skoda
Pitot covers installed are made of fabric so they don’t melt if pitot heat comes on with them installed. This fabric let’s a small amount of air through like a very dense filter. It’s possible airspeed did register up to a certain point as there would still have been some pressure getting to the probe.
The Airbus pitot probe one's I had in my hand today weren't of a fabric variety. They were a made of of vinyl outer layer which was fully air/water resistant. I have seen fabric ones but they are of a fabric weave density that is similar to denim which would not let any significant airflow through to register any speed of a usable reference. There is picture at post 10 of the thread showing the covered probes from the actual incident.....they look pretty melted to me despite their supposed heat resistance.